Nothing Can Separate Us

Marvin and I went to visit good friends of ours in South Carolina last week. We met Chip and Karen Wood in Honduras while they were on a mission trip to serve at Loma de Luz Hospital in Balfate 2 years ago. We immediately connected with them and are so thankful for their friendship. We had the privilege of visiting their church this past Sunday and heard a message that spoke to both of us in a very significant way.

The man preaching read Mark 6:14-29. I recommend that you read this passage but know that it will likely not encourage you. In fact, it may make you feel disgusted and heartbroken. This is the passage in Mark where the details surrounding the death of John the Baptist are shared. Although saddening, there were points pulled out of this passage in the sermon which we feel apply to our lives today:

1. Authentic Christians point people to Christ. (like John the Baptist did in his ministry)
2. Authentic Christians are distinguished by repentance. (Although Herod respected what John said, he did not turn from his sin)
3. Authentic Christians may face deadly opposition. (John committed his ministry to the Lord, was bold in his faith, and lost his life for the cause of Christ)

Application: My life should point people to Christ. I must repent...often! And no matter what trials, challenges, or heartbreak I may face, I want my life to be dedicated to the Lord.

Marvin and I are excited about the obedience and dependence that God is calling us to. Lord willing, we will be moving to Peña Blanca, Honduras in January. Leaving our jobs, our home (my parent's basement), and what has become familiar to us both (boneless skinless chicken breasts, purified water, evenings out, etc.) will be challenging. Rather than grieving the things we are giving up, God has given us a great joy and excitement about the things we will get to be a part of in Honduras- opening our home to Marvin's brother and his friend so that they can complete high school, learn English, and be encouraged in their relationship with God; discipling the older girls at Eternal Family Project and maintenance at their home; getting to know neighbors and share the love of Christ with them. We are praying about many other doors the Lord may open up for us and ask that he will provide for our physical and spiritual needs and provide for others through our presence in Honduras.

Romans 8:35-39 states "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The above picture was taken November 2014 of our son Thomas looking out over the town of Peña Blanca. As we get ready to move there, we invite you to pray for us. Pray that we seek God's will over our own and that He will open doors where He wants us to live/serve.

Blessings and Love,
Karen Ramos

Praise God....no matter what!

I met my husband Marvin Ramos in Honduras. After knowing each other for 1 year, we discussed him getting a visitors visa to come meet my family. We both hoped marriage was in our future and getting to know my family was an essential step to get to that point. During this discussion, Marvin (knowing how hard it is to receive a visa) said, "If I get a visa, praise God." 
I thought, "Yeah! Praise God if we get exactly what we ask for." 
Then he continued, "And if I don't get a visa..." 
"Oh no," I thought, "that would be terrible!"
Then he continued, "...PRAISE GOD!"
I felt so confused, why would he say "Praise God" with the same enthusiasm and conviction for if he didn't receive a visa as he would if he did. Something I learned about Marvin on that day is that he gives thanks to God no matter what. 

On this day- August 18, 2015- we are so thankful! Marvin was sworn in as a citizen of the United States of America early this afternoon! PRAISE GOD! Not because things have gone exactly how we have planned, but because we have seen God's hand at work in our lives, our marriage, and Marvin's immigration process. 

Here is what I can remember about this whole process:

1) October 2009 received 10yr visa with re-entry (shortly after the above conversation took place, the US actually revoked ALL Honduran visas due to the political instability in Honduras...we said Praise God and waited. A few months later, they started offering visas again and Marvin received the unimaginable!)
2) March 2010- applied to Homeland Security to approve us as fiancees (this is when we provided PROOF- phone bills, emails, pictures, travel dates, references, etc)
3) September 2010- Medical Exam in Tegucigalpa (received lots of shots!)
4) October 2010 fiancee visa interview #1 (turned down because a missing document)
5) November 2010 visa interview #2 APPROVED!
6) December 11, 2010 WEDDING in Hixson, TN
7) December 2010 another medical exam (he received even more shots!) and applied for Social Security card
8) January 2011 completed an application for residency
9) March 2011 fingerprinting in Atlanta
10) April 2011 received work permit
11) June 2011 received 2 year residency
12) May 2013 applied to renew residency
13) July 2013 fingerprinting in Atlanta
14) August 2013 received 10 year residency
15) March 2015 applied to change status to citizenship (Application was actually not accepted until the 3rd time it was sent in due to some incorrect formatting)
16) April 2015 fingerprinting in Atlanta  
17) July 2015 citizenship interview in Memphis. (Had to prove knowledge of American Government and be able to read, write, and communicate in English)
18) August 18, 2015 sworn in as a UNITED STATES CITIZEN....PRAISE GOD!

Like I said, this has been a long process. We are so grateful for the timing of each step in the process and have learned so much about putting our trust in God and praising Him no matter what. 

In March of 2010, Marvin asked my parents for their permission to get married. On that day we saw a beautiful rainbow. We tried to convince my parents that it was God's promise of a beautiful future together. Well, there was a rainbow today too. God is fulfilling His promise to us as we walk with him each day. We are grateful to so many people in Honduras and in the states, to our immigration lawyer David Elliott, and to my parents for all the support they have offered throughout this process. But most of all, Praise God...no matter what!

March 2010 Do you see the rainbow?

August 18, 2015 A sign of God fulfilling his promise!

I would NEVER do that!!!

Have you ever felt invincible? Like nothing can stop you, nobody can tell you "no." Have you ever thought, "That'll never happen to me!" It is easy to consider ourselves strong, when in reality we are weak. It is only through Christ that we have the strength to overcome tempation, diversity, and the challenges we face in life.

Much of Jesus's time was used to disciple 12 men. One of them, Judas, heard Jesus speaking of the one who would betray him and spoke up saying, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" (Matthew 26:25) He doubted his own weakness. Another of the 12, Peter, listened as Jesus spoke of the challenges he would face leading up to his crucifixion. Jesus spoke knowing that the disciples would be scattered, but Peter did not consider himself weak like the others. "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." (Matthew 26:33) And as Jesus spoke of Peter denying/disowning him, Peter claimed, "I will never disown you." (Matthew 26:35)

Rather than be confident of our commitment to the Lord, what if instead we acknowledged our Humanness? What if we accepted our weakness and asked God for his strength? I like to think that there are things that I would NEVER do, NEVER think. But the truth is, I think bad things, do bad things. So instead of hiding in my own shame or becoming prideful in false confidence, I choose to admit that I am weak, but God, WOW....God is strong, God is compassionate, God is good!

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Judas and Peter were not willing to admit their weaknesses, and they both did exactly what they said they would NEVER do. Don't be afraid to admit your weaknesses, for only through that, will you find true strength- through Christ! 

Growing Up

3 weeks

4 months

8 months

When you hear the words growing up, what do you think of? How do you feel? Some people feel sadness as if growing up is a bad thing. They want their child to stay a baby forever. When I see how Thomas is growing up, I think WOW! I am amazed that just over a year ago he was still inside me, depending on my heart, lungs, and nutrition. But now, he can breath, walk, and eat on his own (to some degree). It is amazing to watch him grow up, witness him mature, learn, and explore.

I too have been growing over the last year, not physically but spiritually. I am thankful for a group of close friends who are encouraging me to grow up and are celebrating with me as I grow closer to God. I know that as God witnesses this growth, He too thinks WOW!

God wants all of us to grow and mature in our faith, and we can only do that if we are in a relationship with him. That relationship requires time, sacrifice, and even some suffering. The difference in children growing up and the growing of our faith is that children become more independent as they grow. But as I grow in my faith, I do NOT gain independence, instead I see my complete dependence on God. I need him and without him I am a mess. The things I try to do on my own fail, but when He wants to accomplish something in me, if I am willing, His plans will succeed. Growing up is difficult but so worth it!

1 year, WOW!

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

-Psalms 1:1-3

Happy New Year...2014 in review

We returned from our 5 month adventure in Honduras at the end of 2013 not knowing what the 2014 year would bring. Now as we enter into 2015, we reflect on the past 12 months in amazement and gratitude.

WORK: Marvin began applying to jobs in the Chattanooga area not knowing what an incredible opportunity awaited him. He began work for JDH roofing company in January and by June began working in their metal shop as a fabricator. It has been a joy for him to work for such a wonderful company with great leadership. I was also blessed with a great opportunity to work for a few months at Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) before having the baby. I worked directly with my mom and learned so much about assessment, documentation, coordinating care, and communication. I am now working part time teaching Spanish to high school students living at Bethel Bible Village. Their mission is to "build Christ-centered lives, one child at a time." I am so grateful to be a part of the work they are doing.

HOME: Upon our return to the United States, we planned to live temporarily with my parents. That temporary arrangement became more permanent as time went on. They have blessed us with a place to live and many nights of babysitting. We try to show our appreciation through home cooked meals, yard work, and fix-up projects around the house. What a joy it is to see them every day and watch Thomas's love for them grow.

FAMILY: We found out I was pregnant in 2012 and joyfully awaited the arrival of our first son. Thomas Orlando Ramos was born on May 15, 2014. I knew right away that he admired his daddy since he chose to arrive on Marvin's birthday. We have enjoyed seeing him grow and learn each day. We even had the joy of taking him to visit family and friends in Honduras in October. Sadly, in November we received news of Marvin's older brother passing away in Honduras. His family misses Erlin immensely and is struggling to live life without him. We enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with many loving family members nearby. It amazes me to think that God came to earth and began life as a helpless baby only to give his own life years later so that we could live in relationship with Him.

THE NEW YEAR: We are excited about the arrival of 3 new family members- Megan and Ethan are having a baby girl in January, Marvin's sister has a baby boy due in March, and Ben and Kat are expecting a baby girl in April. We look forward to helping with outreach opportunities at Scenic City Church, a new church plant in Chattanooga that we have enjoyed becoming a part of. Marvin is excited to do more metal work with JDH, and I hope to continue teaching Spanish at Bethel for the Spring semester. Every day with Thomas is a blessing and although we do not know what this new year will bring, we do know that we will enjoy each moment we have together!

May you love others, serve God, and experience joy in the year to come!